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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wind · perch · pass · pound · bay · current · temple · stand

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. current — of water
  4. perch — the fish
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. stand — to bear
  7. current — electric
  8. pound — a weight
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. wind — moving air
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. current — happening now
  19. wind — moving air
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pass — a permit
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. wind — to turn a key

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com